permaculture

[Rick Valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

> From: BK <lildragon@saber.net>

> 
> -On large scale the large scale ag and permaculture discussion, I think
> mechinized harvesting inherently needs large amount of uniform product (a
> John Deere ain't intellegent enough to pick a tomatoe, then a carrot, an
> apple and a sprig of basil in one run).

(True, I'm not talking about 200 acres of veggies here; but then, ain't
permies 'sposed to grow their own veggies? I know I don't spend alot at the
produce section of my food coop!)

I know a farmer who grew fava beans and wheat together, and combined them
together, and sifted them apart.

I know another who intercrops hazels and walnuts, running sheep and turkeys
under them, and of course has bees that work the flowers. That's just ONE
part of his farm.

The startling thing is not that it's hard to do larger permacultures, but
that with all the economic trends and invisible structures barring the way,
so many are managing to farm in a permacultural manner.
-Rick